South Korean media expresses genuine concern as Vietnam's national team loses Dinh Bac in the match against Malaysia.

South Korea's News Nate expresses concern for the Vietnamese national team with Dinh Bac sidelined for the match against Malaysia on March 31st.

Regarding the match between the Vietnamese and Malaysian national teams in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Korean media has shown worry for Coach Kim Sang Sik and his squad, as striker Nguyen Dinh Bac is suspended due to an AFC penalty. Specifically, Dinh Bac was fined $1,000 and suspended for two matches for receiving a direct red card in the match between Vietnam U23 and South Korea at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals.

South Korea's News Nate published an article titled: "Kim Sang Sik's team is on high alert! Lee Kang In's (Vietnam) deadly tackle on the Korean goal results in Dinh Bac's absence for the crucial match against Malaysia," News Nate refers to Dinh Bac as Vietnam's Lee Kang In.

Below the article, News Nate praises the young Vietnamese striker: "Dinh Bac is a star of Vietnamese football, meticulously trained by Coach Kim Sang Sik. With four goals, he was the top scorer of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals and previously drew attention by scoring against Japan at the 2024 Qatar Asian Cup."

"Dinh Bac will be unable to play in the final 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Malaysia in Saudi Arabia on March 31st. This match is crucial as it will determine Vietnam's ticket to the Asian Cup, so his absence is expected to significantly impact the Vietnamese team," the outlet predicts.

Currently, both Vietnam and Malaysia are "holding their breath" awaiting the final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding FAM's appeal on the case of seven illegally naturalized players. If CAS's final decision does not side with the Football Association of Malaysia, the AFC will likely award defeats to the Malaysian team for both matches against Nepal and Vietnam.